Dear Alumni Sheyichyu!
Sholom U’Brocho!
Mazel Tov to Chaim Yehoshua Muni on the occasion of his engagement. Mazel Tov to Mendel Rabiskin on the occasion of his engagement. May they use out the special period of Yokor Mikol yokor to its’ utmost! Mazel Tov to Rabbi & Mrs. Zalman Moshe Abraham on the birth of their son. May they bring him up lTOveCHuMAA”T mitoch harchovo, and to be a true chayol! (If anyone is aware of any mazel tov’s that I omitted please let me know).
Thank you as always for the feedback, it is much appreciated.
The Rebbe and the Atomic Scientists
The unforgettable chasid Rabbi Reuven Dunin of Petach Tikva, enjoyed a very unique relationship with the Rebbe over the course of many years. The following incident was related by him:
One night, when R’ Reuven was in NY, there was a yechidus night, meaning that the Rebbe would be spending most (or all) of the night receiving people for yechidus. R’ Reuven would spend the night at 770, waiting for the Rebbe to leave – at the end of yechidus – to go home, so that he could see the Rebbe leaving 770.
On this particular night, in the middle of the night, police cars suddenly appeared, and sealed off any access to the entire block of Eastern Parkway. This was followed by a helicopter materializing and hovering just above 770. On a few rooftops he was able to spot snipers that seemed to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. And then some security personnel arrived, and were obviously scrutinizing the steps and approach to 770.
Then 3 Rolls Royce’s drove up, and a few men emerged and walked directly into the Rebbe’s room. They spent some time there, and then came out and were driven away.
R’ Reuven’s curiosity was piqued. He had a special privilege of enjoying an “open door” policy, i.e., he had permission to come into the Rebbe whenever he wished, and he took advantage of that privilege at this time. He walked into the Rebbe, and asked “Who were those men?”
The Rebbe enlightened him: “They are scientists who work for the government in the field of atomic energy. They encountered a difficulty that they couldn’t resolve, and they came to ask for my assistance”.
“And did the Rebbe help them?” asked R’ Reuven, intrigued.
“Yes”, he was told.
Shocked, he could not contain himself, and blurted out: “Why did the Rebbe help them, atomic bombs are so dangerous and cause so much damage and devastation?!”
The Rebbe gave him 3 reasons: “Firstly, their research is for peaceful uses. Secondly, America is a malchus shel chesed, a government that has a history of doing so much to support and assist Torah and mitzvos in so many ways, and I felt it’s only right to help them where possible. “And thirdly”, the Rebbe concluded, “zollen zei vissen ver iz di balebus!” [- let them know who is in charge!]
Understanding the Rebbe's Response
Actually, both the question and the answers seem very puzzling, when you think about it. The more aware someone is about the horrific destructive powers contained in an atom bomb, the better he should understand – even the most simple person – that if anyone should have it, it should be America. I don’t know when exactly this story took place, but since the end of the second world war it was common knowledge that there was a very intense and aggressive arms war taking place.
Whether the alternative would be Russia, Iran, Syria or Iraq, the advancement of American interests in the field in Atomic energy was something vital, not just for Israel and/or America, but for the entire civilized world. Can there be any room for a question as to why to help out America in such a matter?!
For that matter, for the same reason I find the response of the Rebbe perplexing. The reasoning of the particular study having peaceful goals, and even the need of showing hakoras hatov – appreciation – to this wonderful US of A, seem to pale in comparison to what would seem to be the most compelling and unarguable reason to do anything possible to support American scientists in this field. Why did the Rebbe give 2 – seemingly – secondary answers, and make no mention of what would have seemed to be the most powerful reason?!
To suggest an explanation, let us first focus on the powerful message of the 3rd answer that the Rebbe gave.
Who Is in Charge?
Imagine, these scientists were some of the most valuable people alive. Their contribution to society was so vital that the government spared no efforts and took no chances when it came to their safety. From snipers to security helicopters, no expense or precaution was deemed overdone or unjustified.
[And with the mysterious untimely demise of various nuclear scientists in Iran in recent years, we can better appreciate the concern of the government for the safety of these men].
It seems obvious that help that the Rebbe would provide them with, assistance that would further their efforts could go a very long way to the betterment of Jewish causes and interests. And it would not be without precedent; the assistance that the Rebbeim provided with their host country while in Russia caused the title אזרח נכבד לדורותיו to be bestowed on all the descendants of the Alter Rebbe, a status that was to prove very beneficial in various situations.
Yet all the benefits and rationales were not enough, and the Rebbe said that there was something further and more compelling. Let them know who is in charge.
The help that the Rebbe provided them was not a means to an end (to lead to whatever peaceful goals they were striving for, or to repay a debt of gratitude for the government’s support). Rather, it was an end in itself. The realization, by the scientists, that despite their having studied for years in colleges and universities, despite their being brilliant scholars for whom their government was prepared to spend huge sums of money, in the end they were powerless without the Lubavitcher Rebbe on Eastern Parkway.
They had to realize (to the extent that they were capable of doing so) that ultimately it is the Rebbe who is in control, it is he who is in charge.
And this is, perhaps, also the answer to our original question. The chasid Reuven Dunin was undoubtedly already aware of who is in charge. In his mind, it was inconceivable that the Rebbe would do something so damaging and destructive because it was the lesser of two evils. That justification is valid only when one is not in control. For the one in control, there is no reason to be involved in anything that is not wholly good and positive.
[The Alter Rebbe once received, as a gift from a baal teshuva, a silver snuff box. Upon receiving it, the Alter Rebbe remarked: “There is one limb in the person (the nose) that is not by its nature such a glutton for worldly pleasures, and they want to create means for it to indulge as well?!” And the Alter Rebbe broke off the top to use as a mirror for his tefillin. When the Tzemach tzedek heard the story, he remarked: “The zeide (the Alter Rebbe) was involved in building not in breaking, and it is inconceivable that he broke the snuff box. Surely what actually took place was that the two parts were held together by a screw, and the Alter Rebbe removed the screw and detached them” Here, too, we can ask, what was the basis for such certainty? Perhaps that particular snuff box was built as one piece, and the Alter Rebbe had no choice but to break it? Clearly the answer is that the Alter Rebbe was in charge in his times. And if his avoda did not include breaking, then it is inconceivable that circumstances would put him in a position in which he had “no choice but” to break].
The Rebbe responded that, indeed, the Rebbe would not be involved in something deadly and destructive if it was merely as means to an end, because, for the one in control, there is never anything forcing him to take a particular approach. Rather, the Rebbe explained to him, in this case his help was not for something deadly and destructive, because it was for peaceful aims. Furthermore, the Rebbe enlightened, there was another benefit that was to be realized through this. The time that the Rebbe spent with these men was not even a means to a peaceful goal, but a way of expressing appreciation to the American government for their attitude towards Jews and Judaism (and expressing appreciation is itself a Torah trait).
But – it would seem – the main explanation was the 3rd one. The help that the Rebbe provided for these scientists was not even (just) a means to express appreciation, but, instead, the very fact that they were dependent on the Rebbe’s assistance was an end in itself. Moreover this end was an end that is the whole purpose of creation: “let them know who’s in charge”!
The Parsha Connection
And this story encapsulates the entire theme of the Parsha of this week.
[When I asked my son what connection the story had with this week’s Parsha, he said that the Rebbe helped the scientists as an act of hakoras hatov, just as Moshe Rabenu, in this week’s Parsha, refrained from smiting the water as a result of his hakoras hatov to it (as we learn in Rashi). That is undoubtedly correct. However, I believe that the main answer and main point of the story is the Rebbe’s third answer, and I believe, as well, that the connection with the Parsha is also with the 3rd answer].
In this week’s Parsha we (begin to) learn about how the Egyptians were smitten with ten plagues (perhaps they can use some more of the same medicine these days..). The makos (the plagues) are generally viewed as a means to an end. The Jews had to somehow be liberated, so there needed to be a systematic pummelling of the mitzriyim in order to achieve that.
In fact, Rashi brings (and it is discussed at much greater length in the midrash) that the specific sequence of the makos represent the most effective strategy that would be used in a war to achieve ultimate victory.
But, in a deeper sense, when we look more closely at the pesukim (as is pointed out in chassidus), we see an altogether different definition of what was taking place. Because, since the Eibishter is in charge He doesn’t need to utilize the plagues as a means to an end. In fact, He has no need of any type of strategy whatsoever. If He wishes that the Jews be out, they’ll be out. Instantaneously. Non-negotiable, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Rather, the makos were an end in themselves, וידעו מצרים כי אני ה' - to serve the purpose of letting the Egyptians know who the balebos is; - showing them who’s in charge. And this very important goal justified the whole to-do. Because, for human beings living in this physical world engulfed in darkness, to know who the One in charge is, who the One in control is, is the ultimate purpose of creation.
Sure, there were apparent outcomes of the individual makos, and, collectively, they seemed to be the catalyst for our liberation. But that was only what appeared to be the case. In fact, what was taking place was the most important and timeless lesson in history: The revelation, that G-d runs the world!
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Hachonos for Yud Shvat
At this time we are all still – as are Chassidim worldwide – preoccupied with our various hachonos for the upcoming Yud Shvat, and with this Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh Shvat, we will be rolling into the final stretch.
It is important for us to bear in mind the central point of all of the preparations, in fact the purpose of having a Rebbe in the first place: To enhance our recognition and knowledge of who is the One who’s in charge, who is the One who is running the world.
And that’s not merely a philosophical (or, ch”v, a theoretical) idea. Rather, it has the greatest ramifications on every aspect of our lives. For, the recognition (or the deeper realization and re-focusing) on the fact that the Eibishter is running the world (and for us – as chassidim – this includes the recognition that the Rebbe – His agent down here – is in charge) needs to result in a cheshbon hanefesh.
If the Eibishter is indeed in control, then every aspect of my life needs to conform with what I truly know to be His wishes. If He is running things, then it doesn’t make sense to make compromises in my plans in my life in order to secure one aspect of my future (such as my livelihood) or another. Because, if the Eibishter is in charge, then it follows simply that the best way to ensure my success, in every single area, is by following precisely what He desires without deviating even one iota.
And this, in essence, is what all of the various hachonos amount to. Examining and re-examining the various aspects of our life, our avodas Hashem, so that we can implement the required and appropriate improvements wherever there are room for them. To make sure that the way that we are living indeed reflects the fact that וידעו כי אני ה'!
And to know it in the way that is elaborated on in the maamar Bosi l’Gani of this year; - not just by negating the existence of any other deity ch”v, but negating any other existence altogether (אין עוד).
And it follows that at the root of all of this, the only way to bring ourselves to this enhanced realization and knowledge, is by increased study of chassidus, increased both in quantity (the amount of time we spend) and quality (the depth with which we learn it).
So grab a maamar, hook up with a chavrusa, and sink your teeth into some of the knowledge of G-dliness.
And let’s make sure that we all know who is in charge!
L’chaim! May we all do what we can and what we need to do in order to complete the process of וידעו כי אני ה', and may the Eibishter in turn do His part to bring the entire world to this knowledge and realization, ונגלה כבוד ה' וראו כל בשר יחדיו through the immediate hisgalus of Melech haMoshiach TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
לזכות 'ר שלום מרדכי הלוי בן, רבקה לגאולה וישועה קרובה, ושלימה י"תומממש ג"ב טוהנוהנ
